What Offends You?

Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? -- John 6:61

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Just a few years ago, on one of our last trips to Six Flags Amusement Park in St. Louis, an astounding, somewhat amusing, almost ridiculous thing happened to us. My wife was wearing a witness t-shirt that talked about the love of Jesus. A young person, somewhere between 9 and 13 I would say, walked right up to her, looked her in the face, and said, "Your shirt offends me; I am Jewish!" Then the young lady seemed to disappear.

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It would almost be laughable if that weren't a major problem in the world today. Everybody is offened by everybody else, both from within and without the church. You don't think so? Consider this. How many church people are offended by the music of the church, both traditional and contemporary, if we might use those labels? How many people are offened by the Bible version we use? How many people are offended when they don't get their way in some happening in the church family? How many people are offened if they are forgotten accidentally during some thank you or sharing time? The list goes on! And on! And on!

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In the scripture passage in John 6, which I cited above, the disciples of Jesus were offened because Jesus was teaching about his body being food indeed and his blood drink indeed. Most people, at least, understand this to be a pre-direction for the Lord's Supper. But they looked at it as cannibalism -- how could anyone eat Jesus' body. And so, they left--offended!

Jesus' question to the rest of disciples is one we need to answer today as well. Are we offened by Jesus' expecation for us as His people? Are we offened by our brothers and sisters? Are we big enough to forgive and press on and not miss the importance of obeying and following as the scriptures suggestion?

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I can only ask the questions? The answer must come from you!!

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Father, it is human nature to be offened when things don't go our way. You have called us to a life of self-disciple which includes learning how to handle offenses. Help us not to be offened by you or by another. Especially, help us not to be offened by the cross! Help us to pursue each day as important for the you and the Kingdom. Help us to realize we are servants on a unique mission to help the world see you. Help us to realize that offense builds up walls against kingdom work and we should be doing everything in our power to tear them down and build unity by being of the same mind. In Jesus name, Amen!